Columns

The Taliban sealed the fate of the democratically elected government in Afghanistan when it marched trium­phantly into Kabul on Aug­ust 15. The Latin phrase veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered) attributed to Julius Caesar following his victory at the Battle of Zela in 42 BC may well apply to the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan.

The blame game for who “lost” Afghanistan is absurd. The real issue is why was America there in the first place? The US military adopted a pattern of deceiving the public about many facets of the war, including willful distortions or flat-out fabrications.

It is time to appoint a distinguished jurist as a judge in the Supreme Court. Professors of law who are engaged in high-quality teaching and research have considerable value in judicial adjudication.

While addressing the people at the inauguration of the Kollam bypass in January 2019, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, mentioned that the culture of wasting public money should end. However, the reality is different. A huge amount of public money is being utilised in paying income tax of cabinet ministers that accrue on their income.

The Sabarimala Temple is again in the news. Why is it on the table again and again for all the “wrong” reasons, wondered a practising advocate, a friend who has been religiously visiting Sabarimala for the past 25 years. But the moot point is—“Wrong” from whose perspective, and “wrong” from which point of view.

India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and does not have a national framework regarding refugees. But continues to grant asylum to a large number of refugees from neighbouring States and respects UNHCR’s mandate for other nationals, mainly from Afghanistan and Myanmar.

It was welcome news for those concerned with national security, especially the maritime one, that INS Vikrant 2, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier had successfully completed its five-day sea trial or its maiden sea voyage. Built at a cost of Rs 23,000 crore, it finished sea trials ahead of its planned induction by August 2022.

The uncouth dance of democracy, choreographed against the backdrop of Pegasus and the demand for scrapping farm laws, was rehearsed while throwing the rule book at the Chair and finally executed, in protest against the passage of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Bill, 2021.

Many things have changed since January 26, 1950, when our Founding Fathers gifted us this Republic. While we have established our government and fundamental laws, we need to examine whether the separation of powers between the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature operates as it should.

Free legal aid and the assurance of its universal availability is important to keep police excesses in check, CJI NV Ramana said recently. He also noted how police stations are the places where rights are easily trampled upon resulting often in custodial deaths and other excesses.